Bring Me To Life
by AllThingsAnime123
Summary: <html><head></head>Misaki has a tough choice to make; Usami or Takahiro? But when something happens to Usami, can Misaki find the courage to voice how he really feels before it's too late? I own nothing! R&R very much appreciated! Please no flames, tis my first JR fanfic xP</html>
1. Chapter 1

Akihiko Usami was in a bad mood. His nineteen year old lover, Misaki, could tell that much the second he saw the older man enter the kitchen. He pulled a chair out roughly and collapsed into it, leaning so far back he was almost horizontal. His hands rose up to rub his face, and Misaki glimpsed his trademark early morning scowl. Frowning slightly, Misaki crossed his arms over his chest and watched from the safety of the kitchen. He knew Usami had a deadline coming up with his latest manuscript. Misaki shuddered inwardly as he hoped that nothing in their sex lives would end up inside the covers of those books.

'_No,_' He thought bitterly, frown deepening, '_I would never do the things he writes about in those.. Books.._' The final word was spoken inside his mind in a hostile tone.

Misaki stirred something simmering away in a pot on the oven absent-mindedly as he continued to watch the novelist before him. The man was now sitting up, but he was slouched forward as if he lacked the strength to prop his body upright. Misaki sighed and rolled his eyes. It was always the same story whenever Usami had a deadline to meet. He would spend the majority of his time messing with the young boy he shared his home with, and then put himself through a chain of all-nighters to complete the documents to prevent being brutally murdered by his editors.

'_Stupid Usagi-san.._' Misaki mused, shaking his head. '_He's been working himself too hard again_..'

Seeing that the sauce inside the pot was almost cooked, Misaki turned to reach for the cabinet above his head to retrieve a bowl. As he pulled open the door, he heard the unmistakable sound of a chair being scraped back, before padded footsteps made their way towards him. Trying not to let his hands shake, he continued reaching for the bowl which sat on the top shelf, just out of reach. Not even when he stood on his tiptoes could he reach it; all that happened were his fingers brushed against it in an almost mocking way.

"Shrimp." He heard a mocking snigger behind him, before Usami's body being pressed against his. He flushed scarlet with embarrassment at both the name calling and the fact that Usami was able to reach the bowl with ease.

"Thanks Usagi-sa-" Misaki began as he tried to turn around to take the bowl from Usagi.

He couldn't move. Usami had his arms snaking around the teenager's chest and waist, holding him ever closer. Misaki's body trembled as he felt Usami's breath right beside his ear. As the man began to plant kisses along his collarbone, he shuddered once again and tried to pull away. He gulped as he felt his heart skip a beat, and a dizzy, light feeling in his mind pushed out all other thoughts. Usami's hand slid up to cup his chin and he was pulled gently sideways before his lips were captured by the novelist. A red tinge appeared across Misaki's cheeks as Usami abandoned the kiss and moved instead to the teenager's neck.

However, the second hand sliding down his body to the front of his jeans woke Misaki from the daydreaming state he had found himself in. He struggled, trying to force his way out of Usami's hold.

"Let go! Stupid Usagi! You can't!"

"I love you." Was the only reply he received from the older man, his hand now gripping the button on Misaki's jeans. The boy yelped quietly, and struggled harder.

"Seriously Usagi-san! Don't!"

Misaki squirmed so violently, Usami momentarily weakened his grip. The teenager took this given opportunity and slipped through the man's arms, darted around him and practically flew up the stairs, ignoring the shouts behind him. He slammed his bedroom door behind him and fell against it, sliding down the wood until he reached the carpet. He sat there, trembling, trying to calm his nerves. He heard a pair of feet stop outside his door and braced himself. He knew deep down that if Usami were to try to force his way in, there was little that could be done. The simple fact of the matter was that he was a grown man; Misaki was only a teenager. He stood no chance of keeping the door shut.

But Usami's next action surprised him. He simply sighed heavily, turned and walked away. Misaki sat there for a long time, wondering whether he had imagined the sound. He kept his back pressed to the door, waiting and listening, just in case Usami came back to take him by surprise. When nothing of the sort happened, Misaki relaxed and let out a contained breath of relief.

His brother, Takahiro, had been in contact with Usami again. He had near enough demanded that Misaki move back in with him, his wife and son, and the pair were quickly running out of excuses that would keep Misaki staying with the novelist. Misaki knew that eventually, the only way he would be able to stay where he wanted to be was if he told his brother the truth. He had made Usami swear that he wouldn't say a word to Takahiro, but nevertheless, Misaki felt incredibly uneasy. Despite the awful mornings and the random attacks Usami launched on the teenager, he didn't want to leave. And that was because he lov-

Misaki's eyes widened and he flushed a deep maroon, before shaking his head. He would never be able to forget the incident in the Ferris Wheel. He had found himself caught up in the moment, and a wild surge had made him say the three words he'd been keeping bottled up for so long. Afterwards, Usami had taken to whispering the same words in his ear all the time, especially during sex. Misaki flushed a deeper shade of red as he remembered. He had tried to say it again, he really had, but he just couldn't seem to find the power inside to do so. He had managed to convince himself it was the heat of the moment that had made him say it the first time. This coupled with his brother's new determination to take him back left Misaki feeling lost and confused.

He didn't want to leave. But at the same time, he wasn't entirely sure what was keeping him where he was.

Misaki only emerged from the safety of his room when it was time for him to leave for university. He checked and double checked both ends of the hallway before he slipped out and closed his door as quietly as possible. Hoping that Usami was locked away in his study, writing, Misaki snuck down the stairs and once again checked both directions. The sitting area, dining room and kitchen were all empty. Anxiety building, Misaki darted out from his hiding place and walked quickly across the rooms towards the door.

He had almost reached his destination when he felt two powerful arms wrap around his waist. He cried out in surprise as he was hugged once again to a firm, warm chest.

"Usagi-san, I'm going to be late.." He said quietly.

"I can drive you. You'll get there in time." Usami replied shortly, his hands flattening out on Misaki's chest as he slid them up and down the boy's torso. Misaki squeaked and wriggled.

"No, Usagi-san! I want to walk there!"

"Shut up. You won't be late."

Misaki winced. He wanted time and space to think about the choice he had to make. And he couldn't well do that when Usami was probing his hands all over his body. He pulled away for a second time that day and whirled around to glare at the man before him. He met the novelist's icy gaze with confidence, despite the fact he was shaking again.

"I've got an important choice to make here!" He yelled angrily.

Usami paused, and he seemed to falter. Then he shouted back with just as much fury in his voice. "You're still undecided?"

"Being forced into things by you isn't much of an incentive to stay here!" Misaki screamed. "Sometimes Usagi-san, I wish I'd never listened to my brother! I wish I'd never met you!"

As Usami paused, deeply shaken by his words, Misaki turned on his heel and stormed from the building. Once his feet hit the street outside, the words turned acidic in his mouth, leaving him feeling incredibly sick. He paused and turned back to stare at the building he had just vacated. Something in his gut churned unpleasantly and he took a step to walking back inside. Then he caught sight of the time and panic washed over Misaki in a wave. Vowing to apologise to Usami when he was picked up by the novelist later that day, Misaki spun once again and took off down the street.

Back in the apartment, Usami was still standing where Misaki had left him. His hands had curled into fists by his side, and inside his chest, his heart was thumping dully. Suddenly seized with anger, he swung his arm out. It connected sharply with the wall, spreading an aching pain all across his wrist and knuckles, but he ignored it. His eyes were fixed on the door Misaki had left through, as if he expected the teenager to come running back through it.

"Moron.." He mumbled quietly, his fringe falling over his face as he bowed his head. "Do you think you're the only one in pain because of this choice? Do you think it's easy for me to admit that the chance of losing you is so high..?"

That was why he had been clingier to Misaki recently. His intentions were to show the boy just how much he meant to him. The simple truth was that he couldn't function without Misaki's presence. He knew that if Misaki were taken back into Takahiro's care, it would destroy him. His love for Takahiro was still present, but it had long ago been shadowed by his adoration of Misaki. If anyone had told him three years ago that he would throw away his feelings for Takahiro for the man's little brother, he would have laughed. But now that that was a reality..

"I love you, Misaki." Usami whispered to the empty apartment.

His eyes strayed to the study on the other side of the room. He was not in the right frame of mind to write, nor deal with Aikawa when she would drop by to check on him. What he needed was a trip out in the fresh air to try and clear his mind. He would stay out of the apartment for however long he needed, and then pick Misaki up from university, same as usual. Then.. He had no idea. He didn't like discussing his feelings; Misaki was the first person he'd ever truly shown his vulnerable side to. He didn't want to risk putting himself out on the ledge, only to have it pulled out from underneath his feet. He had lost one love already; he was not ready to lose another. He was _determined_ not to lose Misaki.

He marched back into the apartment and grabbed his car keys before he too, left the building. He had no idea where he was going to go. All he had to do was drive. He sat in the driver's seat and turned the engine on. As he buckled his belt, he glanced the back seats. He couldn't help but be reminded of when he had rescued Misaki from his old family home. He felt an involuntary stab of pain in his chest as he was reminded of Misaki's blushing face, and turned away hurriedly. Even now, he found it difficult to believe a mere _teenager_ had managed to worm his way into his mind and heart.

Usami had been driving down streets at random for well over two hours. He had subconsciously driven to Misaki's university and had felt the immense temptation to storm inside and drag the teenager out. He forced himself to speed off before the temptation became a reality, and now found himself turning into a practically deserted road. His mind however, was not on the car he was driving as he had hoped it would be. It was instead, as always, on the boy he had just driven away from.

"Damn it.." He muttered under his breath, casting his vision down for a fraction of a second.

That was all it took.

He heard a shrill scream from his left. His eyes snapped back up and he spotted a small child blinking, terrified, directly in front of his car. Yelling a swear word, he yanked the wheel sideways with all the strength he possessed. The car swung sideways, narrowly missing the child who had the sense to leap backwards at the last minute. Usami tried to regain control of the car as it swerved blindly across the street, but it was impossible. The wheels weren't gripping the tarmac enough for him to turn the wheel again. He slammed his foot harder on the brakes, but it had little effect.

The car came to a halt when it slammed into the wall of a nearby shop. Usami was flung forwards and smacked his head on the wheel. Blinding pain shot across his skull as he fell backwards again. He could feel warmth spreading down his skin on his head, and he could feel excruciating pain jolting up and down both of his legs. Sharp stabbing pains shot up and down his arm. He looked down and immediately wished he hadn't moved. His head swum horribly and the drip of blood increased in flow. His legs were trapped in the twisted cage of metal that had once been the foothold of his car. The impact with the wall had completely ruined the front, sending it creasing back in on itself. He winced in pain as he tried to move them out, but it was impossible.

He could distantly hear people outside screaming, but he wasn't paying attention to them. As always, there was only one thought on his mind.

Misaki.

Ignoring the agony moving brought him; Usami reached into his trouser pocket and, with difficulty, removed his mobile phone. He found the number he was searching for and pressed the 'call' button. He held the phone to his ear with difficulty, biting back a wince.

He didn't want Misaki to worry if he wasn't there to pick him up at the end of the day.

_Ring, ring._

He had to let him know what had happened.

_Ring, ring._

"Misaki.." Usami moaned, his voice sounding oddly croaky from how dry his throat had become.

_Ring, ring._

He heard a sound at the other end of the line, but it was just Misaki's voicemail. Usami smiled sadly and whispered Misaki's name once more before he dropped the phone without even bothering to hang up.

"Hey? Can you hear me in there? The ambulance is on its way, so just hold on!"

Usami could barely hear the voice screaming through the door at him. The steady stream of blood pouring from the wound in his head had seeped through his shirt and had could feel it sticking to his shoulder. Everything in his body ached, and the pain in his skull was becoming unbearable. Slowly, his eyes slid closed and his world turned black. The last thing he heard was the distant scream of sirens.


	2. Chapter 2

Misaki half ran out of his lecture hall, face still bright red from humiliation. His mobile had gone off halfway through the lecturer's speech, and he'd had to grab his pocket in an attempt to silence the noise. His beetroot red face had given him away however, and the lecturer had shouted himself hoarse at Misaki before he was allowed to go. He counted his blessings that it hadn't been the Demon Teacher himself, Hiroki Kamijo, otherwise Misaki had the feeling he would have ended up with much worse than a headache.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, malicious scowl darkening his entire face. His mood did not improve in the slightest when he saw the mystery caller's name; Usagi-san.

"The nerve of that guy! Misaki grumbled as he dialled his voicemail to check the message Usami had left for him. "That guy has no appreciation for anyone else's -" He was cut off mid-rant as he listened to the message.

At first, he could only hear Usami's voice, sounding low and unusually gravelly, whispering his name. This was quickly followed by a deafening clunk, and Misaki jumped when he heard it, startled. He could then hear a very muffled voice, before the line went dead. At first, the teenager didn't move. And then, very slowly, he pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it, nestled in the palm of his hand. As his fingers tightened around the mobile, he took off at a full pelted sprint towards the front gates of his university, heart thumping painfully in his chest.

What had happened? Why had Usami called him when he knew full well he was at university? And what was with the worrying message? These questions were buzzing around Misaki's brain like insects as he ran. His hand gripped the phone tighter subconsciously when a single thought strayed into his mind; '_What if something's happened to Usagi-san?_'

Misaki skidded to a halt and leant against the wall of the entrance to the university. The street outside was full of cars, but the red sports car he had begun to watch for every day was missing. Misaki felt a stab of blind panic shoot through him, and he instantly began to dial Usami's phone. He gripped the device to his ear so tightly, he could hear the plastic creaking, but he didn't loosen his hold. In fact, as the ringing continued, it tightened further. When he heard Usagi's voicemail filtering through the phone, Misaki hung it up and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.

Usagi had phoned him randomly in the middle of one of his lectures, something he had never done before. He had then left a worrying voicemail, and now wasn't answering his phone. Misaki mulled this over in his mind as he took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. He eventually came to two conclusions. Either Usami was playing a trick on him which was a whole new level of low, or.. He was in serious trouble.

Misaki's eyes flew open and he took off down the street, sprinting as hard as he could for Usami's apartment. He couldn't believe that Usami would play a trick like that on him, ever. So, that left one option. Misaki's other hand curled into a tightly balled fist as he ran down the street; hard enough to pierce his skin. He felt terrible. He had left the apartment that morning with the air between them filled with tension. If Usami had been in an accident.. Misaki shook his head wildly. He wouldn't jump to any conclusions and worry himself unnecessarily. For all he knew, Usami could have been fast asleep on the sofa back home, or he hadn't heard his phone ringing. That was plausible too, wasn't it?

"He's going to fine.." Misaki whispered under his breath as he forced himself to run even harder. "He's waiting for me to come back.. He's passed out from exhaustion.. He's _fine_!"

When Misaki burst through the door of the apartment, despite his frankly feeble attempts at convincing himself everything was fine, his heart was thumping in his throat, he felt sick with panic and his mind was full of images of Usami lying in a pool of his own blood somewhere. He called out the novelist's nickname at the top of his voice, but this met no response. Panicking even further, Misaki dropped his bag at the foot of the door and ran straight to Usami's study. Without even bothering to knock, he burst in. Ice cold fingers gripped his heart when he noticed that the room was completely empty. And judging from how cold the door handle had been, Misaki felt safe in assuming that nobody had opened it that day.

Trying in vain to calm himself, Misaki shut the door and headed straight for Usami's bedroom, hoping against hope that the man was curled up underneath the sheets. For once, Misaki didn't care whether he would pay the usual price for interrupting the novelist's sleeping time; he just wanted to know that the man was safe. But the bed was empty. Feeling sicker with every passing moment, Misaki systematically checked each room of the apartment, but each was the same as the last; utterly deserted.

Breathing deeply, trying to clear his thoughts of the images that were now slowly getting more and more graphic, Misaki made his way back down into the dining room where he took a seat at the table. He dropped his mobile onto the tabletop and propped his elbows next to it, his head hanging in his hands. He felt at a complete loss. He was scared, scared that for the second time in his life there had been a horrible accident to someone he cared deeply about, and it had been his entire fault.

Misaki didn't know when the tears started. All he knew was that when he fell back against the back of his chair, his face was sodden and the table below where he had just positioned his head was splattered in tear drops. He rubbed his eyes frantically, but it did little to stem the flow. Once he started crying after all, he couldn't stop. He remembered the last time he had cried as hard as he was now; it had been just after his brother had announced his engagement to himself and Usami. Misaki hadn't been able to bear the pain etched all over the novelist, and had almost dragged him out of the house under the premise of buying more alcohol. It was in the middle of the street that he had begun to cry, and he and Usami had shared their first meaningful kiss. Misaki whimpered as he remembered the way the man's head and dropped to his shoulder, and he had started to cry as well.

"You've got to be okay, Usagi-san.." Misaki pleaded desperately, hands raking through his hair as he sobbed.

That was when the phone began to ring, startling Misaki so much he almost fell from his chair. His heart leapt as he continued to listen to the noise. It was Usami, telling him that he'd gone out for a while but was on his way back. Rubbing his face free from tears, Misaki jumped to his feet and practically flew to the phone. He picked it up with a beaming smile on his face, but this quickly dissolved into a frown when Aikawa's voice filtered through the mouthpiece.

"Misaki-kun?" She asked. Her voice sounded odd to the teenager too; as if she were struggling to keep her composure.

"Yes?" He replied.

She sighed with relief, but continued to speak in the same restricted tone. "Misaki-kun, I have some very bad news.."

Misaki's heart leapt back into his mouth, and he gripped the phone with both hands. "W.. What..?"

"Usami-san is in an intensive care unit at the hospital.. He.. He had an accident today in his car.. I.. He's stable at the moment, but he's not waking up.. I didn't want to phone you any earlier in case.." She trailed off.

Misaki couldn't speak. He couldn't breathe. It felt as if a hand made of ice had grabbed his heart and was squeezing it as tightly as possible. At once, the image of Usami lying on the floor changed to one of him trapped inside his car, bleeding profusely, fading in and out of consciousness. And then, the one thing that could make it worse; he whispered Misaki's name. Misaki felt tears gathering in his eyes once again.

"Misaki-kun..?"

Misaki jolted, realising with a pang Aikawa was still on the phone. He swallowed a fresh wave of tears, and spoke to her, even though his voice had become restricted too. "Come and get me, Aikawa-san."

"N.. No Misaki-kun, you shouldn't -"

"Come and get me or I'm walking to the hospital myself!" Misaki shouted, before hanging up the phone.

Without pausing, he turned and ran through the horribly quiet apartment, flew up the stairs and crashed into his bedroom. He pulled open his wardrobe and began to throw clothes at random into a bag on the floor. He didn't care what the hospital staff said about visitors not being allowed to stay; he was _not_ leaving Usami's side. Staying in the apartment would be far too painful for him anyway.

As Misaki switched to his drawers and began to pick up underwear, his open door caught his eye. Like a knife to the chest, he remembered how he had cowered against it that very morning, wishing that Usami would leave him be. Now, he wanted nothing more than for the man to appear, wrap his arms around him and never let him go. Misaki sniffed and turned away, slamming the drawer with a snap.

"You better be okay, stupid Usagi.." He whimpered.

An hour later, and he and Aikawa were walking through the doors of the hospital. The journey over had been a rather tense one. She had spent half of it trying to convince Misaki that he didn't want to see Usami in the state he was in; it would be too traumatic. Misaki knew that she meant well, but it still angered him. He felt that she was trying to keep him from Usami. After Misaki had more or less snapped that at her, they had both lapsed into silence. And now that they had arrived at the hospital, they still weren't speaking.

Aikawa spoke to the nurse behind the desk, who directed them to Usami's room after informing them that it shouldn't be anyone other than family visiting him. She explained that she was his sister, and Misaki her young son. The nurse didn't look that convinced, but as she had no real way of proving Aikawa's story to be false, she shooed them on their way.

They climbed the stairs in awkward silence. Misaki still felt incredibly sick, but he wasn't sure which he preferred; not knowing what had happened to Usami or knowing full well. His grip on his bag tightened as they continued to climb. He could feel tears clogging up the back of his throat as he followed Aikawa, but he swallowed hard. He refused to cry again. He breathed heavily, trying to calm himself. Ever since arriving at the hospital, Misaki had been trying desperately to think of what he would say to Usami when he saw him, but he had so far drawn several blanks.

All too soon, Aikawa veered away from the next flight of steps and headed towards a door. Misaki's breathing hitched and he very nearly broke down there and then. Aikawa heard him and turned. Her face was a picture of sympathy.

"Misaki-kun, you don't have to -"

"Yes I do.." Misaki said, sounding stronger than he felt. He walked past her and opened the door.

The sight that met his eyes made him feel several times worse. The floor they were on opened in a long winding corridor with several different rooms branching off of it. Several doctors and nurses hurried past them as they walked, side by side, down the corridor. Misaki inhaled and had to resist the strong urge to gag; the scent of disinfectant was strong in the air. Suddenly, he didn't feel so confident he'd be able to see Usami after all. Just walking down the corridor was pressing an invisible weight down on him, slowing him down.

"He's in here." Aikawa said softly, extending her arm towards a door in front of them. Misaki shuddered from head to foot. "Are you _certain_ you want to see him?"

That question was all it took. The shield Misaki had built up around himself shattered and in front of Aikawa, he burst into tears once again. She turned away from the door and pressed him to her, wrapping her arms around him. Misaki knew she was trying to comfort him, but it felt _wrong_. Her arms weren't Usami's and she didn't smell of him. Misaki felt trapped, racked with his own guilt. He couldn't face Usami. He couldn't make himself enter that room knowing full well that every scar marring Usami's body was _his fault_.

Misaki pulled away from Aikawa roughly and took off down the corridor, ignoring her shouts that followed him. He had to get out of there, away from the guilt.


	3. Chapter 3

Hiroki Kamijo collapsed into his seat in the office, dropping a ton of papers onto his desk as he did so. He leant back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling above his head. He was looking forward to going home and spending a quiet evening away from all the stresses and strains that came with being a professor at the university. And, not that he'd ever say it aloud; he was looking forward to seeing Nowaki. There was something about the young man that calmed Hiroki inside, leaving him feeling more relaxed and content than he could remember.

"Yo, Kamijo!"

Hiroki only had time to tense his shoulders before the inevitable happened. His co-worker and fellow professor took a flying jump at him, wrapping his arms around the younger man. The papers Hiroki had placed in a neat pile on the desk slid everywhere, irritating Hiroki all the more. Scowling deeply, he struggled to keep control of his temper.

"Professor Miyagi.." Hiroki began in a cold tone as he pushed the man off him. "Why can't you say 'Good morning' like normal people?"

"But that's boring!" Miyagi complained, pouting.

Hiroki frowned deeply as he stared at the man before him. He was six years Hiroki's senior, and yet the young professor was twice as mature. He had only seen flashes of Miyagi's mature side; he seemed to prefer acting like a child when he was around his fellow professors. Hiroki rolled his eyes and began to pick up the papers Miyagi's entrance had caused to slide everywhere. The older professor shrugged his shoulders at his co-worker's moody attitude and sunk into another chair on the other side of the room, lighting up a cigarette as he did so.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Miyagi took one look at the venomous look on Hiroki's face before he got to his feet and opened it. A young girl stood in the doorway, looking incredibly nervous. The moment the door had opened, she extended something in her hands towards Miyagi; it was a folded sheet of paper. He took it from the girl, who thanked him in a squeaky tone before turning and running off down the corridor. Miyagi turned the paper over in his hand and smirked when he saw Hiroki's name on it.

"Oh Kamijo!" He called in a sing-song voice, walking back into the room and closing the door behind him. The young man glanced up from his tidying, and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

Miyagi waved the letter. "This just came for you." He grinned. "From that dark haired boy, hm?"

As he expected, Hiroki's face turned pillar-box red. His jaw clenched, he stormed out from behind the desk and snatched the letter from Miyagi as the older man laughed and settled back into his chair. He had just picked up his newspaper, when he heard the door slam. Miyagi blinked and looked up, highly confused. The letter had fallen gracefully to the floor, and there was no sight of Hiroki anywhere. Curiosity getting the better of him, he abandoned the newspaper on his chair and scooped the letter up instead.

It only took a few moments for Miyagi to read it. It was indeed from the boy, Nowaki, but it was not the kind of message Miyagi had been expecting. The letter had been sent to inform Hiroki that one of his childhood friends had been in a serious accident, and was currently lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Miyagi groaned and placed the letter on the desk.

When Hiroki got to the hospital, he was relieved to see Nowaki outside waiting for him. He was equally grateful that the young man fell into step with him without a word; Hiroki didn't feel like speaking. The news had come as such a shock; he wasn't sure how to react. He knew full well that if it had happened before he had met Nowaki, he would have probably had a breakdown right in front of his fellow professor. But Nowaki had become an irreplaceable presence in his life. He had taken over Usami in Hiroki's mind and heart, and become something very precious to the man. Not that he'd ever say that aloud. He couldn't say how he felt very well, but with Nowaki, he didn't need to. He just _knew_.

As they passed the lifts, Hiroki sighed in irritation when he saw the 'Out of order' sign pasted to the metal doors. Nowaki shot him an apologetic look, and shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry Hiro-san.. It's gonna be a long walk."

Hiroki merely shrugged at his comment, and the two of them hurried towards the stairs. Nowaki lagged a little behind his partner as they climbed, watching him in curious silence. He knew full well how every emotion Hiroki felt affected his body; his shoulders were tensed, his hands were gripping at the rail a little too hard and he seemed to be stopping himself from taking the stairs two at a time.

"I understand that you're worried, Hiro-san." Nowaki spoke confidently, but kept his voice low, worried Hiroki would lose his temper. As he expected, Hiroki's hand slipped on the rail as he turned to stare at the young doctor. His dark eyes were burning.

Hiroki had opened his mouth to reply, when they heard a much more concerning noise a few feet above their heads. Sniffling. Nowaki, having spent the vast majority of his time in paediatrics, knew that noise anywhere. It was the sound of a distressed child. Wondering how a child could have wandered so far into the hospital, Nowaki tore past Hiroki and practically flew up the stairs.

When Nowaki spotted the huddled shape sitting halfway down a flight of stairs, he was hit by a wave of confusion. It was no child sitting there, but what looked like a teenage boy. He had full black hair and sat messily on his head. Most of his hair was slicked back, as if he had been sliding his hands through it a lot. His forehead was balanced on his knees, and his entire body was trembling violently. He didn't seem to be aware of Nowaki or Hiroki's presence, but when the professor passed Nowaki and walked towards the boy, his head shot up. He flushed red with humiliation and rubbed his face free of tears. Nowaki noted that his eyes were red and puffy, and shining with another wave of fresh tears.

As Nowaki stared at the boy's face, he couldn't help but feel he had seen him somewhere before. While he remained rooted to the spot, racking his brains, Hiroki had reached level with the boy. He too was convinced he had seen him fleetingly, but he couldn't place it. Then, his eyes wandered to the sign attached to the wall, indicating what was on the floor of the hospital they were on. He sucked in a breath of air when he saw the letters 'ICU', and without a second thought, dashed up the rest of the steps and into the corridor beyond.

Misaki inched closer to the hand rail, trying to move away slyly before the Demon Teacher could recognise him. He didn't know what the bad tempered professor was doing at the hospital, and frankly, he didn't want to hang around long enough to find out. He had wanted to find some place secluded and empty; the stairwell had provided precisely that. That was until the Demon and a young doctor came along. Misaki blinked as he looked at the man staring up at him again. For some reason, Misaki knew he had seen his face before. Suddenly, the Demon uttered a very faint gasp and he vanished from Misaki's sound; the next sound he heard was the door above him snapping closed.

Misaki hadn't been able to enter that room and Aikawa's hug hadn't helped him any. It felt to him as if she had already given up on Usami, and that hurt him in more ways than he could have imagined. Over the year he had spent with Usami, he had grown more attached to the man than he would have before thought possible for two human beings to be involved with one another, and it both scared and elated him. He could no longer imagine an existence without his beloved 'Usagi-san', despite his frequent complaints. There were definitely some things that Misaki could live without in Usami's personality, but if he changed too drastically, Misaki wasn't sure whether he'd still feel the same about the man. The little things that added together and made Usami who he was.. Misaki adored them, simply because they were _him_. But the prospect of entering that room.. It was a whole new step. Walking into that room would force Misaki into realising the kinds of odds Usami was up against, and that scared him. He didn't want to know that the man's chances weren't good.

Ignorance was bliss.

The teenager didn't know when the tears started up again. All he knew was that he lost what little energy he had, and his head slumped back onto his knees where he remained, sniffing and sobbing pathetically. He heard a quiet sigh and approaching footsteps but he paid no attention to them until he felt someone slide onto the stair right beside him. He looked up. The young doctor was now sitting next to him, and he was rummaging in his pocket for something. He eventually pulled out a tissue and extended it to Misaki. The boy took it with a mumble of thanks and began to mop his face.

"My name is Nowaki Kusama. What's yours?" The young man asked in a gentle tone.

"M.. Misaki Takahashi.." Misaki replied quietly, trying to calm himself and steady his voice.

"Are you visiting someone, Misaki?" Nowaki asked. When he nodded, Nowaki sighed. "Someone in the ICU?" Another nod. "Someone special?"

Misaki whimpered at this, and felt more tears snake their way down his cheeks as he but his lip and nodded for a third time. Nowaki sat back, resting his palms on the floor behind him.

"My partner.. The man who just went past you.. Is visiting someone there too."

Misaki's jaw dropped, not at the news that the Demon was visiting somebody in an ICU just like he was, but that he was in a relationship with another _man_. He stared at Nowaki, who seemed to realise the reason for Misaki's stunned silence because he laughed.

"P.. Professor Kamijo is..?" Misaki began but couldn't finish.

"Yes." Nowaki laughed again. "Wait, 'Professor'? You go to the university?"

Misaki nodded. "Final year."

"And what do you want to do when you complete that year?"

Misaki knew Nowaki was just trying to make polite conversation in an attempt to cheer him up, but instead it broke his resolve once again. The answer to that question had resulted in so much pain in such a short space of time, and Misaki felt as if a rip was appearing in his chest as he started crying once again. And before he could stop himself, the whole story began to flow from his mouth; how he had met Usami, how he had stayed with him, Usami's family and how his brother was planning to take him away from Usami once he was finished at university.

When Misaki had finished his tale, tears were dripping off his face again but he was making no attempt to stop them. Nowaki was sitting in stunned silence beside him, feeling a wave of different emotions that included sympathy, shock and understanding of the boy's position. He finally took a deep breath and exhaled, calming himself before he spoke. He just couldn't believe this boy and Hiroki had come to see the same man.

"Have you told your brother?"

Silently, Misaki shook his head. "I.. I don't know if I can.."

Nowaki smiled gently. "I know it's a big step for a budding relationship. But by the sounds of things, you and Usami-san have overcome many obstacles and you are still together. If you ask me, your relationship is pretty powerful."

Misaki shrugged. "I don't know if I can see him.. I'm just terrified that he won't wake up.."

"Maybe Usami-san hasn't woken up because he hasn't heard Misaki-kun asking him to wake up. Maybe Usami-san really needs Misaki-kun more than he ever has before."

Misaki froze up at that. He hadn't considered it. Could it be possible that Usami truly needed him to be there?

The teenager started when Nowaki suddenly got to his feet and extended his hand down to him. "I'll go in with you. How's that?"

For a reason he couldn't explain, Misaki had immediately trusted Nowaki. That was probably why he smiled for the first time in hours, and put his hand into Nowaki's, allowing himself to be pulled up. The two of them walked along the corridor in single file. The further along Misaki got, the more he began to clam up, and the more he thought about turning and running again. But then he remembered Nowaki's words and swallowed his fear.

Taking the risk was terrifying, but swaying on the edge of a decision was much worse. And if he never tried, he would never know. If a few words to Usami would help to heal him and Misaki failed to provide that.. He had no idea how he would ever live with the guilt.

Taking a deep breath when they reached the door, Misaki gripped it and pushed it open. The room beyond only had three people inside; Aikawa who gasped faintly when she saw him, Hiroki who was looking from Misaki to Nowaki, and finally Usami who was lying flat on a bed. Misaki gave a strangled gasp when he saw the man before him. His body was covered by a blanket save for his head and one arm, which lay on top with several wires sticking out of his skin. One was connected to an IV beside the bed. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was sleeping. His visible arm was covered in bandages that were stained white in places, and another bandage was wrapped around his forehead.

Misaki moved forwards as if he were in a trance, no longer hearing or seeing anyone but Usami. He took the seat beside the bed and took Usami's hand in his own. Just feeling the familiar touch of his skin made tears well up in Misaki's eyes, threatening to fall.

He stayed there for the rest of the time allotted for visitors. Before he had been forced to leave to go back to his own patients, Nowaki had dragged Hiroki aside and explained what Misaki had told him in the stairwell. After that, he and Aikawa had taken up seats on the other side of Usami's room, watching and waiting in silence. Nowaki had returned when the visiting hours ended and it was lucky he had done so. Misaki had been adamant to stay overnight at the hospital, but that was only allowed for children's mother's. Hiroki had then volunteered to pick Misaki up after his day at the university was over and drive him to the hospital. Nowaki upped this offer by suggesting Misaki come stay with them as he had already packed a bag, and the hospital was much closer to their apartment. After a long conversation with Aikawa, Misaki finally agreed and left Usami's side after giving his hand one last squeeze.


	4. Chapter 4

Misaki ended up staying with Hiroki and Nowaki for almost a month, with no obvious improvement in Usami's health. All three of them visited the novelist whenever they found the time, but his only frequent visitor was Misaki. The boy hardly ever left the man's side, and would only do so if a passing nurse or doctor agreed to sit and watch Usami for him while he was gone. When his shifts were over, Nowaki would come and sit with Misaki until visiting hours were over as Misaki felt much more comfortable in the young doctor's presence. Being left alone with Hiroki was horribly awkward; to the teenager, the professor would always be known as Kamijo The Demon.

With each passing day, Misaki sank lower and lower into a state of depression. The only times he would eat at his makeshift home were when he was threatened with a physical beating from Hiroki, or when Aikawa called around in tears. He had barely spoken a word to anyone since the day he found out about the accident, and chose to spend the time he wasn't at the hospital sitting in on his bed, staring at the wall. If possible, the adults were as worried about the teenager as they were about the novelist. If the worst happened, they feared what drastic action Misaki would take.

And to make matters worse, Takahiro had been informed of the incident. The impact of Usami's accident was shown most clearly when Takahiro arrived at Usami's room. Misaki was sitting there, his eyes dull and devoid of all emotion, and when he had tried to hold his younger brother, he had been pushed away. This reaction had deeply confused the man, who couldn't understand why his little brother was so badly affected by Usami's accident. He naturally assumed it was because of their parents; they had died in a similar situation to the one Usami now found himself in. Takahiro wouldn't have minded betting that in some way or another, Misaki was secretly blaming himself, and it had affected him badly because the novelist had taken the young boy in and tutored him.

Hiroki, Nowaki and Aikawa had agreed not to tell Takahiro about the true nature of Misaki's depression. They knew that Misaki was blaming himself although they did not know why, but they also knew that Takahiro had no idea about the teenager and the novelist. Until Misaki was ready to tell him, they vowed not to say a word or to act as if they knew any different.

Both Aikawa and Nowaki took turns in trying to convince Misaki into talking to Usami, but the teenager was reluctant. He didn't want to raise his own hopes. Talking to Usami would break down the shield he had worked so hard to create, and one word could be the breaking point for him. Misaki's mind was a wild mix of emotions and ones he had tried to lock away after his parent's accident were resurfacing. Misaki regretted back then that he couldn't tell his parents he loved them one last time. And now, he was regretting that he couldn't say it to the man he loved, even though there was a high chance he'd never get to say it to him ever again.

That was the one positive thing to emerge from the accident; Misaki had finally come to terms with how he truly felt. A little voice inside his head had been telling him all along how he was feeling, but he had chosen to ignore it because it would mean having to admit things about himself. But he couldn't ignore the pang in his chest whenever he saw Usami's face, nor the twisting feeling in his gut when he saw the injuries, nor the sharp pains in his heart whenever he was forced to leave the hospital. Misaki had even kept the voicemail Usami had left him and during the nights when he couldn't sleep, he would sit in his bed and replay the message over and over just to hear the man's voice, even though it made tears roll down his cheeks. He knew for a fact now that he could _never_ be parted from his beloved 'Usagi-san', and _nobody_, not even his older brother, were going to keep them apart.

When Misaki left his bedroom and Nowaki spotted fresh tear tracks on the boy's cheeks, he decided to act. He sat next to the boy on the sofa.

"You should try talking to him, Misaki-kun."

As he had expected, he received no spoken reply; just a simple shake of the head.

Nowaki sighed gently. "I know it's hard for you, but -"

"You know?" Misaki echoed, taking Nowaki by surprise. "What do you know? You can't possibly imagine how this feels.. This is the _second_ time this has happened to me and I don't want to lose someone else, dammit! It's not fair!"

Nowaki leant away, eyes wide with shock as a fresh wave of tears began to pour down Misaki's pale cheeks. He gave a pathetic sounding whimper, before he curled up into a ball on the sofa and began to tremble.

"Well then.. Maybe you should stop being such a selfish little brat and actually go _talk_ to Akihiko." Came a cold voice from behind them. Nowaki swivelled in his seat. Hiroki was standing on the opposite side of the room, glaring at Misaki.

"Hiro-san.." Nowaki began, but the older man cut across him.

"You say you don't want to lose him? Well, do some growing up and talk to him! Stupid brats like you really piss me off! You sit and you whine and you bitch when you can actually do something to help what you're whining and bitching about! So stop sitting there, wallowing in self-pity, get over to that damn hospital and try _speaking_ for once! He's not dead, he can hear you! So say what you've got to say before it's too damn late!"

When Misaki didn't move, Hiroki growled with impatience before he stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. Nowaki sighed heavily, before he turned back to face the young teenager. He was still lying on his side, but he wasn't shaking anymore. From the positioning of his hands however, Nowaki found it impossible to see the boy's expression.

"Hiro-san doesn't mean to be angry, Misaki-kun." Nowaki said softly. "He's just as worried about Usami-san as you are. They were childhood friends, after all. And.." He paused, wondering to divulge the information, but decided it was for the best to speak. "There was a time when Hiro-san loved Usami-san. He was very surprised when he learned who Usami-san had given his heart to.. That it was a student at the university he taught at.." Nowaki stopped again to study Misaki. "My point is, Misaki-kun.. You're the only one Usami-san is likely to hear.. Two close friends, an editor or the person you love with all your heart? You're the one who is most likely to get through to him, Misaki-kun. And it annoys Hiro-san because even though you can do something, you aren't.."

"I'm scared.." Misaki mumbled so quietly, Nowaki just about heard him.

"What of?"

"That.. That I'll try talking to him.. But.. But he won't.. And he'll.." Misaki trailed off, and Nowaki heard him sniff. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, and felt him shaking underneath his palm.

"You won't know unless you try, Misaki-kun."

It took Nowaki a full hour to calm Misaki down, and by the time they got to the hospital, Aikawa was already sitting in Usami's room. She gave Misaki a weak smile as he entered, and was shocked when he returned it. He then sat at his usual chair right beside Usami's bed and took the man's hand. Nowaki remained in the doorway watching and smiling as Misaki took a deep, shuddering breath. And..

"I.. I really miss you Usagi-san.."


	5. Chapter 5

Misaki entered the hospital the next day at Nowaki's side feeling somehow lighter. He had spent his day sitting by Usami's side, but this time he had managed to say a few words to the man. He had known that the changes would be gradual, but if there was even the slimmest of chances that Usami could be saved, Misaki would do all within his power to help. Hiroki was right; he couldn't be selfishly wallowing in his own misery when that could be what was stopping Usami from getting better. It was almost like telling Usami how he had really felt for the first time. He had been terrified of admitting it about himself, but when faced with the prospect of losing Usami, that fear far outweighed his petty worries.

As Misaki entered Usami's room, he was shocked to see Takahiro standing beside the bed. Misaki had only seen his brother briefly on his rare visits to Hiroki and Nowaki's apartment, and there had only been two occasions where they had run into one another at the hospital. He turned when he saw Misaki, a sad smile on his handsome face.

"Hey Misaki. Long time no see."  
>"Hi nee-san." Misaki greeted him. "What are you doing here so early?"<p>

"I got the day off work." He said, sliding into a spare chair beside Misaki's usual one. The teenager walked forwards quickly and sat himself down in his usual seat. His hand automatically twitched towards Usami's, but as he had not told his brother of their true relationship yet, he held himself back. "I just think I haven't been visiting Akihiko as much as I should have been."  
>"You were busy, nee-san. That's not your fault. Usagi-san will understand."<p>

Takahiro's smile faltered. "You really believe he's going to wake up, Misaki?"  
>"I have to." Misaki replied without thinking. His brother raised an eyebrow at his words, but Misaki was thankfully saved an explanation as the door behind them opened and Aikawa swept in.<p>

"Still no signs of improvement..?" She asked, faint hope in her voice.

Misaki shook his head, not taking his eyes off the sleeping man before him. Takahiro was still fixing Misaki with a confused stare, clearly wanting to ask about what Misaki had let slip but managing to hold his tongue. Aikawa sighed gently and approached Misaki, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"You've been very strong, Misaki-kun." She said gently.

Misaki wanted more than anything to tell her how wrong she was, but he couldn't, not when his brother was sitting right beside him. As far as he could see, he had been the furthest thing from strong. He had visited Usami daily, clinging to the faint hope that the man would wake, but thinking deep down that he never would. Misaki had kept going because he didn't want to have to say goodbye to Usami, because he was too scared to admit that there was a much higher chance of him quietly slipping away. Misaki had only found the courage to talk to him yesterday, because he had been too worried about raising his own hopes. Inside, he was still a complete mess. He was constantly on the verge of tears and he had become more prone to violent outbursts.

That was far from strength.

The trio sat there in awkward silence for the remainder of the day. Once or twice, Aikawa had managed to invent a story that took Takahiro out of the room, giving Misaki the opportunity to talk to Usami. This had almost ended in disaster however. Misaki had been on the verge of telling Usami that he loved him, when the door had opened and Takahiro burst in, saying how guilty he had felt for leaving Misaki on his own. Misaki only just had time to drop Usami's hand and blame his reddening face on the lie that he had started crying. Nowaki visited when he could, mainly to check on Misaki. Hiroki arrived late in the evening, and greeted Misaki with the usual glare he reserved only for people he disliked with a passion. Misaki assumed he hadn't yet forgiven him for being selfish.

When Nowaki came back to inform Misaki that visiting hours were over for the day, he wasn't alone. He was being followed by another doctor, and a stern looking man in an expensive suit. Misaki leapt to his feet when he recognised Usami's father, and the man came to an immediate halt when he spotted the boy sitting beside his son's bed. Then, a cruel smile split his face, and his eyes turned steely.

"I told you it would all end in tears, didn't I?" He spoke harshly and coldly, glaring straight into Misaki's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Takahiro asked, glancing from his little brother to the man and back. "Misaki, who is this guy?" But he didn't answer.

"I told you it would be a disaster. I told you over and over that this simply wasn't _right_. That it wouldn't work. But you arrogant little brats are all the same, aren't you? You all think you know better than us adults. Well, you're wrong. And I think the evidence of that is very clear."

Still Misaki said nothing, but his gaze was beginning to blur.

"Who are you and what are you talking about?" Takahiro snapped, seeing the effect the man's words were having on Misaki. He barely paused for breath, however, completely ignoring all other presences but Misaki's.

"And now look at what you've gone and done. My son is gripping at life by his fingertips, and it's entirely your fault. If you had just left him alone when I told you to, this would never have happened. He wouldn't have suffered nearly as much if you had just stopped being selfish and looked at what you were really doing to him. You led him on, didn't you? You kept him following after you because -"

"Shut. Up." Misaki snarled in a tone more menacing than Hiroki, tears beginning to drip down his face. Even the Demon Teacher himself looked impressed. Usami's father didn't even seem fazed, however. In fact, he smiled.

"You know it's true. Deep down, you know that this is all your fault."

"I think you'll find, _sir_," Nowaki spat, his voice shaking with fury, "That this was an accident. Nobody was at fault."

"There was a reason he was in the car at the time, wasn't there?" The man asked snidely, his glare gaining menace as he continued to watch Misaki. Before anyone could reply, he turned to the doctor that had followed him into the room. "Pull the plug. I do not wish for my son to suffer fruitlessly any more."

"WHAT?" Hiroki yelled.

"You can't just do that!" Aikawa cried, taking a step towards him.

"You evil, heartless – MISAKI, NO!" Takahiro bellowed; Misaki had just taken a flying jump at the doctor heading towards Usami's bed, hitting the man in the abdomen. He crumpled and fell, and Misaki got back to his feet, glaring through his tears at Usami's father.

"You aren't going to condemn Usagi-san!"

Misaki struggled violently when he felt a vice-like hold grip his upper arm, and turned to see Takahiro.

"Let me go!" He yelled, struggling more ferociously as the doctor got shakily back to his feet, breathing heavily.

"I don't know what's got into you, Misaki, but that's no excuse to physically abuse someone.." Takahiro said evenly, hauling Misaki away from the doctor and Usami's father, who was watching with the same cold expression.

"Let me go nee-san!" Misaki ordered, twisting his arms, trying desperately to release himself. The doctor had finally caught his breath, and Usami's father gave a nod of approval before he walked towards Usami's bedside again.

"There's nothing we can do, Misaki.. If he's Akihiko's father, it's legally his choice.."

"NO!" Misaki screamed, tears pouring down his cheeks. "USAGI-SAN, WAKE UP! WAKE UP, USAGI-SAN! I NEED YOU! I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP NOW, USAGI-SAN! DAMNIT USAGI-SAN, I LOVE YOU!"

Takahiro froze as he stared at his younger brother in shock, and his grip immediately slackened. Misaki felt this and tugged himself free before bolting across the room and positioning himself between the doctor and the machine, fury burning in his eyes. Usami's father watched him with one eyebrow slightly raised. Misaki met his gaze, tears still streaming down his pink cheeks. Takahiro was still standing with his hands raised, frozen to the spot. Aikawa was staring from him to Misaki, a worried expression on her face. Hiroki was still regarding Misaki with an impressed facial expression, while Nowaki continued to glare death daggers at Usami's father.

"I can't live without Usagi-san," Misaki growled menacingly, "And you are _not_ taking him away from me now."

"It's not up to you to choose." Usami's father replied coldly.

"I'll hospitalise you if I need to." Misaki promised just as coldly, clenching his fists. "Whatever it takes to keep Usagi-san safe, and to make sure he stays with me. I need him, and he needs me."  
>"Misaki.. You and.. You and Akihiko..?" Takahiro muttered weakly.<p>

The teenager sighed heavily and steeled himself. "We've been together since you told us you were getting engaged, nee-san.."

The silence that followed these words was deafening. There was a thump as Takahiro slumped to the floor in utter shock and bewilderment. Still glaring up at Usami's father, Misaki took a deep breath.

"It wasn't forced at all, nee-san. Usagi-san has become very important to me. I want to keep him happy, and he makes me happy. Every time you told me I was to return home with you, I refused because I wanted to stay with Usagi-san. Usagi-san made up ridiculous stories to keep you hidden from the truth, but when you visited and said

I was to live with you after I finished University.. Usagi-san told me to make a choice. Whether I stayed with him or if I left with you. And I'm sorry nee-san, but I can't live without Usagi-san. I'm staying with him."

"Touching." Usami's father snapped angrily, before turning to the doctor. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

"You're not touching him!" Misaki yelled furiously, making a swipe at the doctor's hand as he reached to pull Misaki out of the way. "I love Usagi-san! And you're not going to separate me from the one I love! I'm not going to let you take away the one whose life means everything to me!"

Aikawa gasped loudly, but Misaki naturally assumed it was from what he was saying. Usami's father's eyes were still fixed on the teenager but he had gone very pale and his mouth had opened slightly in shock. The doctor in front of him looked immensely relieved, and before Misaki could question what was happening, he had swept from the room. Misaki glanced, confused, to Nowaki. The young man was practically beaming, the murderous look in his eyes finally vanishing. Misaki turned to Aikawa; she was crying again, kneeling beside his brother who still looked shocked but was smiling fully. Finally, Misaki's eyes strayed to Hiroki. The man had his arms folded across his chest, and he was nodding.

"Always had great timing."

Before Misaki could ask what he meant, he felt a very cold hand grip his own. He jumped out of his skin and let out possibly the highest pitched scream emitted by any boy, ever. When the hand clenched tighter, Misaki whirled around and gasped.

Usami's eyes were ever so slightly open, but his lips were stretched into a beaming smile. His pupils were fixed on Misaki and only Misaki. The teenager flushed several shades of scarlet in the space of a few seconds, before he rubbed his sodden face.

"Welcome back, Usagi-san.." He whispered softly.

**~ Epilogue ~**

"But.. You're twenty-eight.. He's only nineteen.." Takahiro stammered for the umpteenth time.

Misaki had flatly refused to be prised away from Usami's bedside overnight, and because of the special circumstances, the staff allowed him to stay. He had curled up in Usami's bed and fallen asleep in the novelist's arms. That was how Takahiro found them early the next day when he had come to visit to discuss what Misaki had let slip in his outburst the previous day.

"Age doesn't matter, nee-san.." Misaki mumbled quietly. Now that Usami was making a full recovery, he had reverted back into the shy student he had been before, and the awkward conversation with his older brother was deeply embarrassing for him.

"But you're a kid.. And he's a famous writer.. You'd only be getting in his way.."

"On the contrary, Misaki's been very helpful to me when writing my books." Usami smiled as Misaki twitched, and shot him a spiteful glare. The teenager knew only too well what Usami was referring to, and he didn't appreciate it one bit.

But of course, Takahiro was as clueless as ever.

"Seriously?" He cried, eyes widening as Misaki resisted the huge urge to slap a hand to his forehead.

"Of course. Misaki is my inspiration."

"But you're both.. Men.." Takahiro whispered the word as if afraid someone were listening in.

"I know, nee-san.." Misaki murmured back, his gaze on the floor. "But love is love."

Usami beamed at the teenager, who flushed an even deeper shade of red when the novelist curled his fingers around his hand. Takahiro looked at their clasped hands, before he sighed and smiled.

"Then I guess this is something I'll have to get used to.." He ran a hand through his hair. "But mark my words Akihiko. Misaki's my younger brother and childhood friends or not, I will put you right back in here if you hurt him."

Misaki stared at his brother in awe; he had never heard him sound so threatening and serious before. Usami's grip on his hand tightened as he sat himself up straighter to look Takahiro right in the eyes.

"Believe me," He spoke in the most serious tone Misaki had ever heard him use before, "_Nothing_ will happen to Misaki, and should I ever hurt him, you would be too late to hospitalise me because I would have hospitalised myself. And if he is hurt by anyone else under my care, you will need to bail me out of prison before hospitalising me, because I would be sent there for murdering the ones that caused him harm. I love him, Takahiro."

It took a further two days until the hospital deemed that Usami was fit enough to leave. Hiroki picked both him and Misaki up from the hospital and took them back to their apartment. He only left after sternly telling Misaki that Usami needed to get some rest, and so he should do nothing to provoke him. Misaki was quite taken aback by the man's comment and slammed the door in his face after yelling that he had never once in his life provoked Usami; the man just seemed to be obsessed with jumping him at every available opportunity.

As he turned around, still scarlet in the face, he saw Usami standing near the middle of the apartment.

"It's good to be back." He announced. Misaki, unsure of whether his comment was directed towards him or not, chose to ignore it.

"You need to get some sleep, Usagi-san." He instructed, walking past the novelist and heading towards the stairs. "The hospital and Kamijo said -"

Misaki was cut off when he felt a pair of strong arms snaking under his own, across his torso, holding him tightly. He shivered as he felt Usami's lips touch the back of his neck.

"It's been a month, Misaki.." The man whispered huskily.

"Stupid Usagi! You've got to take it easy!"

"A whole month, and I've not rewarded you for that confession yet.."

Usagi pulled away slightly, and turned Misaki around. The teenager's cheeks flared up to an even brighter red as the novelist kissed him slowly and tenderly, his hands sliding up into the boy's hair.

"I've been waiting so much longer for you to say that.." Usami whispered, "And I'm not waiting any longer.."

"Stupid Usagi.." Misaki whispered.

And then he did something utterly unexpected. Shaking with nerves, he placed his hands through Usami's silky hair and pulled him forwards. Usami made a faint, muffled gasp of surprise when their lips met, and far too soon, Misaki pulled away.

"Don't expect me to do something embarrassing like that again.." He muttered.

Usami practically beamed, before reaching forward and hoisting the teenager over his shoulder. Misaki shrieked and struggled, but Usami just laughed as they climbed the stairs.

He knew that Misaki had brought him back from being an inch from death.

Love really was something else.

And judging by the manic gleam in Aikawa's eyes, Usami felt fairly sure that a BL story would stem from their experience.

* * *

><p>What can I say? I'm a sucker for a happy ending =] Let me know what you think! And thank you to everyone who posted a review; I'll reply to you all seperately when I have the time! x<p> 


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